U.S. patent application number 14/704776 was filed with the patent office on 2016-11-10 for delayed order delivery fulfillment.
The applicant listed for this patent is BBY SOLUTIONS, INC. Invention is credited to Vaibhav Agrawal, Eric Berens, Julie Durham, Brian Flynn, Puneet Gupta, Vikas Jaiswal, Stephen Jakala, Curtis Janicke, Asad Khan, Ryan Mendoza, Sanu Patel-Zellinger, Rick Patterson, Charles Rooney, Rob VanHout, Magesh Venkatesan, Raghu Venkateshwar.
Application Number | 20160328781 14/704776 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57222799 |
Filed Date | 2016-11-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160328781 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Patel-Zellinger; Sanu ; et
al. |
November 10, 2016 |
DELAYED ORDER DELIVERY FULFILLMENT
Abstract
Techniques and system configurations for order tracking and
delivery fulfillment in an electronic commerce setting is described
herein. In one example, a shipment that originates from a
distribution center of a retailer is identified for delay (e.g., a
delayed shipment in transit via a national carrier). The delayed
shipment is replaced with a substitute shipment from inventory at
an in-store location of the retailer. The substitute shipment is
selected from an in-store location of the retailer based on
proximity to the shipping destination, and is delivered via courier
or agent to meet or precede a promised delivery date. The delayed
shipment is then intercepted or redirected to the shipping source,
the in-store location, or a distribution center. Related techniques
for the management, processing, and tracking of data and
information associated with substitute shipments are further
described herein.
Inventors: |
Patel-Zellinger; Sanu;
(Minneapolis, MN) ; Durham; Julie; (Minneapolis,
MN) ; Flynn; Brian; (Minneapolis, MN) ;
Mendoza; Ryan; (Minneapolis, MN) ; Patterson;
Rick; (Minneapolis, MN) ; VanHout; Rob;
(Minneapolis, MN) ; Jakala; Stephen; (Minneapolis,
MN) ; Rooney; Charles; (Minneapolis, MN) ;
Jaiswal; Vikas; (Minneapolis, MN) ; Venkatesan;
Magesh; (Minneapolis, MN) ; Venkateshwar; Raghu;
(Minneapolis, MN) ; Khan; Asad; (Minneapolis,
MN) ; Gupta; Puneet; (Minneapolis, MN) ;
Agrawal; Vaibhav; (Minneapolis, MN) ; Berens;
Eric; (New York, NY) ; Janicke; Curtis;
(Minneapolis, MN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
BBY SOLUTIONS, INC |
Richfield |
MN |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
57222799 |
Appl. No.: |
14/704776 |
Filed: |
May 5, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0635 20130101;
G06Q 10/087 20130101; G06Q 10/0835 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/06 20060101
G06Q030/06; G06Q 10/08 20060101 G06Q010/08 |
Claims
1. A method for processing data in a delayed order delivery
fulfillment scenario, the method performed by a computer system
comprising at least one hardware processor, and the method
comprising: electronically identifying a delayed order, the delayed
order relating to a shipment of a particular product that is
undelivered to a destination, wherein the delayed order is delayed
relative to an original delivery estimation for delivery of the
shipment of the particular product to the destination;
electronically identifying inventory at a particular in-store
location, the inventory to fulfill delivery of the particular
product in a replacement shipment to the destination, wherein the
inventory in the particular in-store location is located from a
plurality of in-store locations based on proximity of the
particular in-store location to the destination; creating data that
identifies at least one shipment option for a substitute delivery
of the particular product in the replacement shipment, the
substitute delivery of the particular product occurring from the
identified inventory at the particular in-store location to the
destination, wherein the replacement shipment is identified to meet
the original delivery estimation for delivery of the shipment of
the particular product to the destination; and creating data that
facilitates performance of the substitute delivery of the
particular product in the replacement shipment, the substitute
delivery of the replacement shipment to the destination being
performed via a selected shipment option of the identified at least
one shipment option.
2. The method of claim 1, comprising: creating data that
facilitates an interception of the shipment that is undelivered,
wherein the shipment that is undelivered is in transit, and wherein
the destination of the shipment that is undelivered is changed from
a first address to a second address.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first address is a designated
shipping address of a consumer, and wherein the second address is
an address of one of: a distribution center, an origin location of
the shipment, the in-store location of the replacement shipment, or
an alternate in-store location.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein electronically identifying
inventory at the particular in-store location to fulfill delivery
of the particular product includes: locating the particular product
at an in-store location, the in-store location being one of a
plurality of store locations that has inventory for the particular
product and that is located closest to the destination.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein electronically identifying the
delayed order includes: identifying a promised delivery date for
the shipment of the particular product to the destination, wherein
the promised delivery date is communicated to an originating
consumer of the delayed order; and identifying that the shipment of
the particular product is unable to be delivered to the destination
by the promised delivery date via one or more available shipping
options from a carrier of the shipment.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the promised delivery date for
the shipment of the particular product to the destination is prior
to a designated holiday, and wherein the replacement shipment is
identified to meet the original delivery estimation by an estimated
arrival prior to the designated holiday.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein creating data that identifies the
at least one shipment option for the substitute delivery of the
particular product in the replacement shipment includes providing
data to a plurality of couriers.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein creating data that identifies the
at least one shipment option for the substitute delivery of the
particular product in the replacement shipment includes: receiving
an indication from a particular courier of the plurality of
couriers to accept delivery of the replacement shipment to the
destination; and designating the particular courier for delivery of
the replacement shipment to the destination, in response to
receiving the indication from the particular courier to accept
delivery of the replacement shipment to the destination.
9. The method of claim 1, comprising: electronically tracking the
delivery of the replacement shipment to the destination via the
selected shipment option; electronically notifying an order
management system of a successful delivery of the replacement
shipment to the destination; and electronically processing data
from the shipment of the particular product that is undelivered to
a destination to determine an alternate destination for the
shipment.
10. At least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium
including instructions for processing data, the storage medium
comprising instructions, that when executed by a computing device,
cause at least one hardware processor of the computing device to:
identify a delayed order, the delayed order being associated with
an shipment of a particular product that is undelivered to a
destination, wherein the delayed order is delayed relative to an
original delivery estimation for delivery of the shipment of the
particular product to the destination; identify inventory at a
particular in-store location, the inventory to fulfill delivery of
the particular product in a replacement shipment to the
destination, wherein the inventory in the particular in-store
location is located from a plurality of in-store locations based on
proximity of the particular in-store location to the destination;
identify at least one shipment option for a substitute delivery of
the particular product in the replacement shipment, the substitute
delivery of the particular product to occur from the identified
inventory at the particular in-store location to the destination,
wherein the replacement shipment is identified to meet the original
delivery estimation for delivery of the shipment of the particular
product to the destination; and initiate the substitute delivery of
the particular product in the replacement shipment, the substitute
delivery of the replacement shipment to the destination being
performed via a selected shipment option of the identified at least
one shipment option.
11. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 10, the
instructions further causing the computing device to: facilitate an
interception of the shipment that is undelivered, wherein the
shipment that is undelivered is in transit, and wherein the
destination of the shipment that is undelivered is changed from a
first address to a second address.
12. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the
first address is a designated shipping address of a consumer, and
wherein the second address is an address of one of: a distribution
center, an origin location of the shipment, the in-store location
of the replacement shipment, or an alternate in-store location.
13. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 10, the
instructions further causing the computing device to: identify
inventory at the particular in-store location to fulfill the
particular product by an identification of the particular product
at an in-store location, the in-store location being one of a
plurality of store locations that has inventory for the particular
product and that is located closest to the destination.
14. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 10, the
instructions further causing the computing device to: identify a
promised delivery date for the shipment of the particular product
to the destination, wherein the promised delivery date is
communicated to an originating consumer of the delayed order; and
identify that the shipment of the particular product is unable to
be delivered to the destination by the promised delivery date via
one or more available shipping options from a carrier of the
shipment; wherein the promised delivery date for the shipment of
the particular product to the destination is prior to a designated
holiday, and wherein the replacement shipment is identified to meet
the original delivery estimation by an estimated arrival prior to
the designated holiday.
15. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 10, the
instructions further causing the computing device to: provide data
to a plurality of couriers; receive an indication from a particular
courier of the plurality of couriers to accept delivery of the
replacement shipment to the destination; and designate the
particular courier for delivery of the replacement shipment to the
destination, in response to receipt of the indication from the
particular courier to accept delivery of the replacement shipment
to the destination.
16. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 10, the
instructions further causing the computing device to: track the
delivery of the replacement shipment to the destination via the
selected shipment option; notify an order management system of a
successful delivery of the replacement shipment to the destination;
and process the shipment of the particular product to determine an
alternate destination for the shipment.
17. A computing system, comprising at least one hardware processor,
and a plurality of modules implemented with operation of the
hardware processor, the plurality of modules including: an order
tracking module, the order tracking module configured to identify a
delayed order, the delayed order relating to a shipment of a
particular product that is undelivered to a destination, wherein
the delayed order is delayed relative to an original delivery
estimation for delivery of the shipment of the particular product
to the destination; an inventory tracking module, the inventory
tracking module configured to identify inventory at a particular
in-store location, the inventory to fulfill delivery of the
particular product in a replacement shipment to the destination,
wherein the inventory in the particular in-store location is
located from a plurality of in-store locations based on proximity
of the particular in-store location to the destination; a shipment
replacement module, the shipment replacement module configured to
identify at least one shipment option for a substitute delivery of
the particular product in the replacement shipment, the substitute
delivery of the particular product occurring from the identified
inventory at the particular in-store location to the destination,
wherein the replacement shipment is identified to meet the original
delivery estimation for delivery of the shipment of the particular
product to the destination; and a delivery information module, the
delivery information module configured to facilitate performance of
the substitute delivery of the particular product in the
replacement shipment, the substitute delivery of the replacement
shipment to the destination being performed via a selected shipment
option of the identified at least one shipment option.
18. The computing system of claim 17, the plurality of modules
including a shipment interception module, the shipment interception
module configured to facilitate an interception of the shipment
that is undelivered, wherein a destination of the shipment is
changed from a first address to a second address; wherein the first
address is a designated shipping address of a consumer, and wherein
the second address is an address of one of: a distribution center,
an origin location of the shipment, the in-store location of the
replacement shipment, or an alternate in-store location.
19. The computing system of claim 17, the plurality of modules
including an order replacement module, the order replacement module
configured to: track the delivery of the replacement shipment to
the destination; and replace the shipment with the replacement
shipment within an order management system, in response to
initiation of the delivery of the replacement shipment to the
destination.
20. The computing system of claim 17, the plurality of modules
including a courier sourcing module, the courier sourcing module
configured to: provide data that identifies the at least one
shipment option for the substitute delivery of the particular
product to a plurality of couriers; receive an indication from a
particular courier of the plurality of couriers to accept delivery
of the replacement shipment to the destination; and designate the
particular courier for delivery of the replacement shipment to the
destination, in response to receiving the indication from the
particular courier to accept delivery of the replacement shipment
to the destination.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] Embodiments pertain to order fulfillment, logistics, and
delivery techniques for items of commerce. Some embodiments pertain
to techniques to track, manage, and modify electronic data and
information related to orders for items of commerce, to ensure that
delivery of the items of commerce can be delivered on or before
special events, holidays, and like target delivery dates.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Many retailers and distributors of goods (including online
and phone-based retailers and distributors) increasingly rely on
shipping services to deliver goods to customers' homes and
businesses. Sellers of goods are particularly reliant on third
party shipping services for the "last mile" delivery to the
consumer's home or business delivery location. Even if the shipment
of the goods is placed into transit on-time, various delays may
occur in the distribution network that can prevent a timely
delivery. For example, such delays could occur as a result of
adverse weather conditions, delivery network interruptions, or
other factors out of the seller's control.
[0003] Customers increasingly want more information and control
over their delivery options, especially when making gift-based
orders in advance of birthdays, holidays, or other pre-determined
delivery dates. Various processes exist to allow sellers to track
the status of deliveries, and to allow the seller to determine
whether certain deliveries are likely to be delayed or unable to
meet a pre-determined delivery date. However, existing tracking
processes are typically limited to collecting information about the
delayed delivery and providing only a status update or apology to
affected customers. Such information is unlikely to satisfy an
expectant customer if the order is unable to be fulfilled prior to
the holiday or previously promised delivery date. Thus, if a
delivery delay or cancellation occurs, the seller may be blamed for
the failure (even if the reason for the delay is outside of the
seller's control).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 illustrates an overview of shipment interception and
substitution according to an example described herein.
[0005] FIG. 2 illustrates an overview of an order delivery workflow
according to an example described herein.
[0006] FIG. 3 illustrates an example processing flowchart of a
delayed order replacement workflow according to an example
described herein.
[0007] FIG. 4 illustrates an example data flow diagram for a
delayed order replacement workflow according to an example
described herein.
[0008] FIG. 5 illustrates an example scenario of retailer
processing for a delayed order replacement workflow according to an
example described herein.
[0009] FIG. 6 illustrates an example scenario of delivery
processing system actions for a delayed order replacement workflow
according to an example described herein.
[0010] FIG. 7 illustrates an example scenario of resolution contact
procedures for a delayed order replacement workflow according to an
example described herein.
[0011] FIG. 8 illustrates an example block diagram of processing
components for implementation of a delayed order replacement
workflow according to an example described herein.
[0012] FIG. 9 illustrates an example method for processing data in
a delayed order replacement workflow according to an example
described herein.
[0013] FIG. 10 illustrates an example method for generating
shipment interception and substitution data transactions in a
delayed order replacement workflow according to an example
described herein.
[0014] FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating operational
components of a computing device upon which any one or more of the
methodologies herein discussed may be run.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] The following description and drawings sufficiently
illustrate specific embodiments to enable those skilled in the art
to practice them. Other embodiments may incorporate structural,
logical, electrical, process, and other changes. Portions and
features of some embodiments may be included in, or substituted
for, those of other embodiments. Embodiments set forth in the
claims encompass all available equivalents of those claims.
[0016] Some of the examples detailed herein are directed to
techniques that enable tracking and identification of delayed
orders and shipments in connection with product management
workflows and related data management actions. As discussed herein,
store and omnichannel retail fulfillment techniques may be used for
ensuring customer delivery of problematic orders and shipments
before special events, holidays, or promised delivery days. For
example, the techniques discussed herein can operate to: identify
delayed or high-risk-of-delay shipments; identify products from
local stores or distribution centers to fulfill the orders;
generate notification and fulfillment requests to local
brick-and-mortar stores or distribution centers; coordinate courier
or store-based delivery of the products from local stores or
distribution centers; and intercept/redirect any delayed packages
in transit once the local delivery has been made.
[0017] As further discussed herein, the deployment of in-store
resources may be used to automatically locate, generate, and
fulfill in-progress or in-transit orders and shipments that are
projected as unlikely or unable to arrive before a promised or
preferred time. In scenarios where shipping resources, third
parties, or internal processes prevent the retailer from meeting a
promised delivery date, resources from a suitable store location or
local distribution center may be re-deployed to fulfill the order.
With use of these delayed order detection and shipment
re-deployment techniques, a retailer can attempt to achieve a
complete fulfillment of customer orders by meeting its promised
delivery date. This has the logical benefit of providing a
consistent and positive experience for customers, and enhanced
customer satisfaction for the shipment process.
[0018] With the examples provided herein, technical enhancements
can be implemented within a fully integrated, sustainable
from-store delivery capability that is seamless and simple to
execute against. The use of the workflow management techniques can
be used to assist the delivery of products when, where and how the
respective customers want to receive them--consistently and
reliably on time. Further, the use of the techniques and workflows
described herein can enable shipping and convenience benefits for a
variety of types of deliveries, while reducing costs and improving
customer experiences. In addition to such business-related
benefits, the presently described techniques and workflows may be
integrated into existing retailer information systems and
computerized processing networks to enable improved processing and
data management of orders and shipments. As further detailed
herein, technical implementations of the present techniques may
include the improved storage, access, and management of data; the
improved operation of databases that track orders, shipments, and
inventory; and improved uses of data to manage and automate
delivery processes.
[0019] The following examples illustrate various enhancements that
can be applied to allow a distribution and ship-from-store network
to provide greater speed and delivery options for customers. As
discussed herein, the enhancements to a retailer's operations and
systems can be used to implement guaranteed shipping options,
through: expanding the days and times of distribution operations;
tracking and coordinating data maintained in order management and
e-commerce product management systems; and expanding the
diversification of transportation carriers to enhance speed and
choice of delivery options. Further, the enhancements may include
the integration of an in-store shipping tool that will allow for
the systematic upgrade or downgrade of a particular order's
"shipping speed" in order to optimize cost and meet any customer
requested or promised "in-hand" date.
[0020] As described herein, the various techniques for delayed
order and delayed shipment fulfillment may be provided through the
use of a fully integrated, sustainable from-store delivery
capability that is seamless and simple to execute against. In some
examples, the delayed order and delayed shipment fulfillment may be
implemented as a simple contingency plan with minor automation and
manual intervention to close gaps in coverage; in another example,
the delayed order and delayed shipment fulfillment may be
implemented as a comprehensive automated model. As also described
herein, these fulfillment techniques may build around existing
retail processes and systems, with improvements to existing
shipment processes being used to keep customer experiences positive
and consistent. Similarly, these fulfillment techniques may
integrate with new data processes and system upgrades, to enable
long-term cost effectiveness, and to enable retail tracking and
location-based tracking of sales (for example, to allow a
particular retail location to obtain credit for any sales that the
location is responsible for fulfilling).
[0021] As a result of the techniques described herein, a retailer
can significantly reduce the number of delayed orders and shipments
that would otherwise not be delivered on time (towards a goal of
100 percent of orders delivered on time). As a result, such
delivery improvements will have the effect of increasing a
retailer's Net Promoter Score (NPS), and other measurements of
customer satisfaction. Further, the techniques described herein may
be used in connection with advanced analytics and coordination for
order and shipment creation, sourcing, and delivery, through
appropriate management, synchronization, coordination, and tracking
of data for orders, shipments, inventory levels, purchase
transactions, and related corporate purchase and fulfillment
operations.
[0022] As used in the following examples, the term "order"
generally refers to an electronically-tracked (and, potentially
electronically-originating) request for fulfillment of a purchase
for a particular set of one or more goods. This request may
originate from a consumer purchase from an electronic point of sale
system, an electronic commerce website, or from other systems
operated by a retailer. As also used in the following examples, the
term "shipment" refers to an electronically-tracked instance of
transit, used to fulfill the delivery of the order, that includes
all or a portion of the particular set of the one or more goods.
This instance of transit may be initiated by the retailer, by a
third party fulfillment provider, by a distributor or manufacturer,
or by other entities on behalf of the retailer. The movement of
this instance of transit may be performed by a common carrier, a
contract or private carrier, or by entities associated with or
under contract with the retailer, distributor, or manufacturer.
[0023] It will be understood that in some of the following
scenarios, the terms "order" and "shipment" may be used
interchangeably. For example, when a package is in transit, the
status of the order (e.g., being delayed due to shipping issues)
will naturally correspond to the status of the shipment (e.g.,
being delayed due to weather issues in the shipping distribution
network). However, it will be understood that the techniques
described herein are not only applicable to the identification of a
potentially delayed shipment, but also a potentially delayed order,
and including in some scenarios, before goods associated with the
order are prepared for shipment.
[0024] FIG. 1 provides an overview of the entities involved in
connection with shipment interception and substitution operations
according to various examples in the present disclosure. A retailer
102 may provide the sale and distribution of goods through various
retail stores 104A, 104B, 104C, 104D, 104E, 104F, an electronic
commerce (e-commerce) portal (not shown), and a distribution center
112. For example, an e-commerce order may occur in connection with
the placement of a customer order through the website, mobile app,
or other shopping portal for retailer 102. This e-commerce order
may be followed by an attempted fulfillment of the order through a
shipment sent from the distribution center 112 for delivery to the
consumer 132 (such as with a scheduled delivery to the consumer's
home or work place). In other examples, the e-commerce order may
take place in connection with the fulfillment of a ship-from-store
order, such as an order fulfilled from a particular retail store
such as retail store 104A, or from a third party manufacturer or
distributor (not shown).
[0025] The attempted fulfillment of the shipment for the e-commerce
order through distribution center 112 involves the transit of the
first set of goods through a shipment carrier 114. However, as
previously discussed, various scenarios may occur where the
shipment is delayed in transit and is unable to meet an estimated
or promised delivery date or time. In such scenarios, the retailer
102 or another suited third party may intervene to provide a
substitute shipment.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, the e-commerce order may be fulfilled
from a retail store 104F, through use of a shipment substitution
118. The shipment substitution 118 may include goods that are
obtained from an in-store product stocking area 106A (e.g., in a
local store inventory), a product sales area 106B (e.g., on a sales
floor), or at other locations in the retail store 104F. The
shipment substitution 118 can then be provided to a local carrier
120, for a delivery 122 to the premises of the consumer 132, for
example (or for delivery to other suitable locations such as a gift
destination or an alternate delivery destination).
[0027] After recognizing that the consumer 132 has received his or
her requested product, the delayed shipment or order may be stopped
or redirected to prevent duplicate delivery of the subject goods to
the consumer 132. For example, after the shipment substitution 118
is established or initiated for the replacement delivery (or after
the delivery 122 of the shipment substitution is complete and the
goods are provided to the consumer 132), the original shipment
occurring via shipment carrier 114 may be halted or redirected
through a shipment interception 116. The shipment interception 116
may operate to redirect the original package via the shipment
carrier 114 back to the original distribution center 112, to
another regional distribution center, or to a retail store such as
the retail store 104F.
[0028] Accordingly, in a workflow that manages and implements the
shipment substitution 118 and the shipment interception 116, the
retailer 102 can operate various data-driven procedures to identify
(and respond to) an at-risk order or shipment fulfillment. For
example, commerce operations may occur at a data terminal 108 or
other control station of the retail store 104F to process the
creation and handling of order fulfillment from the inventory of
the retail store 104F. These data-driven commerce operations may
include order replacement identification, inventory management,
courier management, and the like.
[0029] As further discussed herein, various techniques may be used
by a retailer or an appropriate third party to identify, capture,
and respond to an at-risk order or shipment. In one example, two
categories may be established for at-risk orders and their
associated shipments: a "RED" order, and a "YELLOW" order. RED
orders may include those orders or shipments which are determined
to be (or at a significantly high risk of being) late for a
targeted delivery date (e.g., a customer-promised delivery date
prior to a holiday). YELLOW flagged orders may include those orders
or shipments which are at some risk of being late for the targeted
delivery date, or are missing information to determine the proper
delivery or transit status. YELLOW flagged orders can be identified
and handled by an order management team (or other appropriate
functional team or process of the retailer) to prevent the order
from becoming RED. In contrast, an order or shipment that is at
low-risk of being delayed can be identified as a "GREEN" order.
Other statuses and categorizations may also be defined.
[0030] The characteristics for an order may be based on one or more
factors affecting the current calculation of an "in-hand" date,
generally defined as the estimated date for delivery to the
consumer. For example, an originally projected in-hand date may be
a projected or promised delivery date or time window that is
estimated for the consumer, based on calculations performed at the
time of sale or order fulfillment, which are performed at the
retail store or provided via an e-commerce website (or provided via
related customer notifications). The considerations for identifying
a RED order may include factors such as: 1) the originally
projected in-hand date is in the past and the item is not
delivered; 2) the current time is past the last carrier pick-up
time, the originally projected in-hand date is tomorrow, and the
package is not yet in shipped status; 3) if the originally
projected in-hand date is today, and the package is not yet in
shipped status; 4) If the originally projected in-hand date is
today, and the package is in shipped status, but there is no
carrier origin scan; 5) if the current carrier estimated time to
arrive (ETA) is later than the originally projected in-hand
date.
[0031] Some of the considerations for identifying a YELLOW order
may include factors such as: 1) the order is not in a shipped
status, and today's date plus remaining ground time in transit is
greater than the customer projected in-hand date; 2) the order is
in a shipped status in a warehouse management system, but not in a
shipped status in an order management system (in this case the
customer may not receive a shipment notification); 3) orders that
were shipped prior to the current date and do not have a origin
carrier scan, and the in-hand date is greater than today; 4) orders
that are not in a released status yet and after a processing
deadline (such as 4 pm), and the in-hand date is tomorrow. The
YELLOW order identification, however, may: 5) exclude shipments set
to be shipped via national one-day shipping if the customer
projected in-hand date is tomorrow; 6) exclude shipments set to be
shipped via national two-day shipping if the customer projected
in-hand date is two days out; and like criterion.
[0032] FIG. 2 provides an overview of an order delivery workflow
200 occurring within a distribution channel according to a further
example, with the order delivery workflow 200 configured to
identify YELLOW and RED orders at risk for delay or
non-fulfillment. As shown, the workflow 200 includes the order
being initially submitted with an electronic customer order
submission 202. The electronic customer order submission 202 may be
accompanied by operations such as the customer (or an agent
assisting the customer) selecting the appropriate product SKUs and
shipping options.
[0033] At the time of order submission, the originally projected
in-hand date may be calculated and determined for the order. For
example, this projected in-hand date may be provided to the
customer as part of a selectable display of shipping options, as
part of an electronic confirmation of the order (e.g., in a webpage
or email confirmation). In these and similar examples, the
projected in-hand delivery information may be provided at or
adjacent to the time of purchase or initial shipping
operations.
[0034] The workflow 200 further includes the order being created in
an order management system (such as the retailer's order management
system), with an electronic order creation operation 204. The
workflow 200 further includes the order being sourced with an
electronic order sourcing operation 206, with electronic operations
that reserve inventory for the order and process the order
fulfillment. For example, the electronic order sourcing operation
206 may include reserving inventory, considering consolidation of
packages or deliveries, assigning shipping nodes, and streamlining
order processing.
[0035] The workflow 200 further includes the release of the order
with an electronic order release operation 208. The releasing of
the order may be accompanied by a generation of a shipping tracking
number or other identifier for the shipment (including identifiers
for multiple packages in the shipment, or separate shipments, as
applicable). The workflow 200 may then operate to identify RED and
YELLOW orders in response to the electronic order release operation
208. For example, the workflow may implement electronic delay
identification operations 214 for an order that has been submitted,
created, sourced, and released, but has missing, incomplete, or
outdated tracking information for the corresponding shipments for
the order.
[0036] After the release of the order, various delays in shipping
may occur that prevent the timely delivery of the shipment
package(s). These delays may be identified by the electronic delay
identification operations 214 which operate on the information for
the particular order and the shipment package(s) associated with
the particular order. As shown, the workflow 200 further includes
the shipment of the order with an electronic order shipment
processing operation 210, which may result in an "order shipped"
notification and a collection of appropriate payment. Finally, the
workflow 200 further includes fulfillment of the order with an
electronic delivery processing operation 212, which operates to
process data at the time that the order is delivered to the
customer. The identification of RED and YELLOW delayed orders and
shipments by the electronic delay identification operations 214 may
operate at these times as well to perform an ongoing identification
of those orders and shipments at risk--according to the evaluation
of delay criterion relative to the projected (or another promised)
in-hand date, as indicated above.
[0037] FIG. 3 illustrates an example processing flowchart 300 of a
delayed order replacement workflow, as a further example of the
procedures of the electronic delay identification operations 214
and related electronic processing. As shown, the processing
flowchart 300 includes operations that may occur (or may be
identified) within an electronic system for the identification and
fulfillment of RED delayed orders and shipments. It will be
understood that the techniques described, however, may be assisted
by human intervention and commands from external electronic
systems.
[0038] As shown, the processing flowchart 300 includes operations
that are performed to initiate and fulfill a replacement shipment,
with operations including identifying and monitoring the progress
of RED status at-risk and delayed orders (and corresponding
shipments for such orders) (operation 302). Although not fully
illustrated in flowchart 300, the identification of RED and YELLOW
status orders may be performed based on a current estimate of
delivery dates relative to promised or projected delivery dates and
times, holidays, events, or related delivery windows.
[0039] The processing flowchart 300 further includes inventory
information steps for preparation of a substitute shipment for
delayed orders, including determining location and inventory levels
for products included in a RED status order (operation 304); and
generating shipping labels for in-store fulfillment of substitute
shipments, for products included in a RED status order (operation
306). Based on these inventory information steps, the product(s) to
be used in a substitute shipment can be identified from an
appropriate location, such as an in-store location close to the
consumer.
[0040] The processing flowchart 300 further includes inventory
fulfillment steps for preparation of the substitute shipment for
delayed orders, including confirming inventory of the particular
product for store fulfillment of the RED status order (operation
308), and in-store operations such as to "pick and pack" to fulfill
the RED status order (operation 310). For example, the in-store
operations may include electronic processes to identify a
particular product from store inventory or displays, instruct an
agent or employee with processing instructions, and prepare
electronic order information to substitute the existing delayed
order with a replacement from the in-store fulfillment.
[0041] The processing flowchart 300 further includes courier
fulfillment steps to facilitate delivery of the substitute shipment
by a courier. These steps are illustrated as including providing
data to one or more courier services for courier acceptance,
pickup, and fulfillment of the substitute shipment (operation 312);
processing courier sourcing and responses to accept delivery of the
substitute shipment (operation 314); and finally processing
confirmation of the courier service pickup of the substitute
shipment (operation 316). If delivery of the substitute shipment is
successful (decision 318), the delivery of the substitute shipment
is completed (operation 320) and may be accompanied by data
processing operations to update the delivery status of the order
and shipment. In other examples, if the courier service is unable
to confirm pickup of the replacement shipment, a backup agent such
as an employee or contractor may be designated to perform the
in-store pickup and consumer delivery operations. If delivery of
the substitute shipment is not successful (decision 318), then the
courier service may proceed with returning the substitute shipment
to the store or originating location (operation 322). The retailer
then may communicate with the customer (operation 324) to offer
alternative options for delivery, order fulfillment, or refund.
[0042] FIG. 4 illustrates an example data flow diagram for a
delayed order replacement workflow according to an example
described herein. As shown, the data flow diagram in FIG. 4
illustrates data operations occurring among one or more electronic
systems, which operate to act upon the identification and
fulfillment of RED status delayed orders and shipments. As will be
understood, the identification and fulfillment of the RED status
delayed orders and shipments may be facilitated by use of the
electronic delay identification operations 214 or with the workflow
illustrated in the flowchart 300 of FIG. 3.
[0043] In FIG. 4, data for the RED status orders 402 is provided to
a special delivery database 410 for processing and tracking
alternate fulfillment operations. The other information provided to
the special delivery database 410 to facilitate delivery and
fulfillment may include: retail data from a retail information
database 412; employee/agent schedule data from an employee/agent
scheduling system 414; and mapping data from a mapping tool 416.
For example, the mapping tool 416 may be used to obtain a store
location relative to the shipping address, and locate source
locations in proximity to the customer shipping address (based on
proximity and available inventory). Based on this data, user
queries 404 for RED status orders, and related product fulfillment
information, may be performed.
[0044] As a result of the user queries 404 with the information in
the special delivery database 410, various operations may occur to
enable fulfillment of the order with a substitute shipment from a
particular location. This may include the creation of an order
delivery detail list 450, and the preparation of shipping
information 460 for the substitute shipment. A particular location
(such as a brick-and-mortar store) from one or more available
locations may choose to review and accept this order, with a store
review and acceptance process 470. As a result of acceptance, data
updates are provided to the information maintained for the
substitute shipment in the special delivery database 410.
[0045] After the store review and acceptance process 470, the
particular accepting store will prepare the substitute shipment for
pickup, through a pick and pack order processing process 480. At
the conclusion of the pick and pack order processing process 480,
the replacement order enters a ready for pickup 490 process.
Meanwhile, information for fulfillment of the delivery is
accomplished, after the store review and acceptance process 470
(where a particular store has accepted fulfillment of the
replacement order). This may be performed through the provision of
delivery information from the special delivery database 410 to a
delivery sourcing service, such as an FTP secure site 420 operating
to serve data (in a comma-delimited CSV format, for example) to
respective carriers. User queries 404 or automated queries may
operate to transmit this information to the delivery sourcing
service upon store review and acceptance of an order, for
example.
[0046] Information may be provided from the delivery sourcing
service to respective couriers via the FTP secure site 420. The
information to the respective couriers may be delivered in
connection with a courier selection process 430, such as the
courier selection process among Couriers 1, 2, 3, and 4. The
courier selection process 430 operates to provide an inquiry to
another carrier if a particular carrier does not accept the
replacement shipment, or if shipping terms for the replacement
shipment (such as cost or timing) will not properly fulfill the
order. It will be understood that fewer or additional carriers may
be involved with the courier selection process, and that additional
conditions for carrier delivery may be imposed.
[0047] If one of the carriers accepts the shipment request, then
the courier will proceed to the store location to obtain the
substitute shipment that will be indicated as ready for pickup 490.
The courier then performs the customer delivery 495 to the
consumer's premises (e.g., home or business). If none of the
couriers accept the shipment request, then an alternate delivery
mechanism may be employed. For example, the retailer may locate and
enlist use of a store agent or driver 435, to directly handle the
substitute shipment that will be indicated as ready for pickup 490.
Accordingly, the store agent or driver may be used to perform the
customer delivery 495 and fulfill the delivery for the substitute
shipment.
[0048] FIG. 5 illustrates an example scenario of retailer
processing for a delayed order replacement workflow according to an
example described herein. As will be understood, the operations and
decisions in the flowchart of FIG. 5 can serve as further
implementations of the data flow diagram and operations described
in connection with FIGS. 3 and 4, with certain example operations
being complimentary to the retailer and courier operations.
[0049] In the flowchart of FIG. 5, the electronic identification of
a RED status order (or its associated delayed shipment(s)) is
processed (operation 502) to determine whether the order and its
associated shipment(s) are in need of intervention to meet a
delivery promise, or to meet customer expectations. If intervention
is not necessary, then no special processing action from the store
delivery process needs to occur (result 506). If intervention is
necessary, then the information associated with the order is
analyzed to determine if any special issues or conditions apply
(decision 504). If special issues or conditions apply, the order
can be escalated to a case-by-case management center (result 508).
If no special issues or conditions apply, then further processing
is performed to locate a substitute product from in-store inventory
and perform delivery of the substitute product in a substitute
shipment.
[0050] This further processing may include electronically
determining whether inventory is located near the final shipping
destination of the consumer (decision 510), such as in a store or
distribution center located in or near the zip code of the
consumer. If inventory is not located at stores or locations near
the consumer, then a further determination is made whether a
substitute product is available (decision 512). If a substitute
product is available, then an electronic contact is initiated to
the consumer (result 520) to determine whether the substitute
product is acceptable to the customer. If no substitute product is
available, then an electronic evaluation is made to determine
whether another retailer or source offers sales of the same product
(decision 514). If the product is available at another retailer or
source, then an electronic contact is initiated to the consumer
(result 520) to determine whether a substitute delivery from
another retailer is acceptable to the customer. If the product is
not available at another retailer or source, then a "Make Good"
policy, further discussed below, may be electronically implemented
(process 525). (In some examples, the retailer will perform further
processing to ensure that the substitute delivery is delivered to
the customer; in other examples, the "Make Good" policy will be
used to offer a refund or compensation the delay of the original
order).
[0051] If inventory is located at one or more stores or locations
near the consumer (decision 510), then further processing is
performed at a store or another order fulfillment location that
accepts the replacement order. This processing includes the receipt
of an electronic notification (operation 516) including the
replacement order details. The store or other fulfillment location
will then proceed with electronically processing the replacement
order information, to enable the operations of identifying,
packing, picking, and preparing a package of the substitute
shipment for delivery (operation 518).
[0052] The identification of an available delivery source for the
substitute shipment is then made (decision 522), by locating an
available courier or agent, which may include an in-store employee
or delivery agent if applicable. If no courier or other driver is
available to deliver the substitute shipment, then the "Make Good"
policy, further discussed below, is electronically implemented
(process 525). If a courier or other driver is available to deliver
the substitute shipment, then substitute delivery processing is
performed, and the original shipment is intercepted (process 530).
The interception of the original shipment may be performed to
attribute the sale to the new location (e.g., to provide credit to
the store which fulfilled the replacement order).
[0053] The substitute delivery processing can be performed to
determine whether the consumer successfully receives the package
from the local courier or agent. First, an evaluation of the
courier or agent's delivery attempt is performed (decision 524),
with an evaluation of whether the delivery attempt is successful.
If the initial delivery attempt is successful, the product has been
delivered, and the substitute delivery process is complete (result
540). If the initial delivery attempt is not successful, the local
courier or agent can contact the store or a command center (result
526) to obtain redelivery instructions. If redelivery is attempted
and successful (decision 528) the process will complete (result
540); if redelivery is not successful (decision 528), then the
courier or agent may return the product to the store (result 535)
or other location, and the Make Good policy is electronically
implemented (process 525). Other variations of delivery options and
customer contact may also be used for replacement order delivery
and redelivery attempts.
[0054] The implementation of the "Make Good" policy (process 525),
referenced above, may be performed to provide compensation or other
solutions for the customer to address the lack of on-time
fulfillment. The use of the Make Good policy, in other words, is
intended to ensure customer satisfaction despite the delayed
shipment (and to compensate for any failure to successfully
re-deliver a substitute shipment on time). For example, the
customer compensation may be in the form of a discount, coupon,
credit, gift card, or other incentive to maintain goodwill with the
consumer. Further examples of implementation for the "Make Good"
policy, and alternatives for the Make Good policy, are detailed
below in connection with the resolution processing techniques
described throughout the present disclosure, including the
resolution contact workflow depicted in FIG. 7.
[0055] FIG. 6 illustrates an example scenario of system actions to
perform delivery processing for a delayed order delivery workflow,
such as may be performed systematically or with automated or
human-assisted machines. For example, the system actions may be
performed by an information system of a retailer in order to
identify inventory and initiate a replacement order and substitute
shipments in connection with the techniques described herein. As
shown, the workflow may be data-driven on the basis of the
identification of RED status orders (operation 602). It will be
understood that similar techniques may be applied to YELLOW status
orders and other order statuses.
[0056] As shown, in response to the identification of the data for
the RED status orders, the retailer may review orders, and send a
notification to a particular store to initiate a replacement order
for store fulfillment (operation 604). The notification may include
various data and information to enable the store to identify,
accept, and process the replacement information for the order.
[0057] As shown, the information may be provided to an order
management system of the retailer (operation 606), such as through
an application programming interface (API) call to perform data
inquiries and management of the order. A replacement order may be
created by updating the order management system with a new store
location for fulfillment of the original order (operation 608).
Typically this location is selected on the basis of available
inventory and proximity to the customer, although other
considerations such as cost, timing, or logistics may be
factored.
[0058] Upon selection of the new store location, the new store is
notified with the details of the replacement order (operation 610),
which may occur with an electronic alert or message. If the store
is able to fulfill the order, then the store can proceed to pick
and pack the order from its inventory, and receive a notification
of further information for delivery (operation 614). The store may
then further follow the instructions in the order notification
(operation 622) and proceed with printing a shipping label and
shipping slip, originating from the order information and
notification (operation 624).
[0059] Final steps occurring at the store location may include
preparation of the package for pickup (operation 626), which may
include the use of receipt information from an order management
system. The driver or other delivery agent may then confirm the
information, and sign the receipt for record keeping (operation
628). The product receipt may be produced for the driver and
validated before the driver leaves the store (operation 630).
Finally, upon completion of these or other internal processes, the
driver may leave the store with the package (result 640) and
proceed to attempt delivery at the consumer location. If the
delivery is successful (decision 642), then delivery of the
replacement shipment can be determined as complete (result 650). If
the delivery is not successful (decision 642), then delivery of the
replacement shipment can be determined as incomplete, and the
replacement shipment may be returned to the store (result 660),
queued for redelivery, redirected to another location, or the
like.
[0060] If the store is not able to fulfill the order, then the
process can proceed to the determination of whether another store
is available for fulfillment (decision 616), and the choice of
another store (operation 618) for the repeat placement of an order
as indicated in operations 604, 606, 608, 610, and 614. If no other
store with the correct inventory can be located, then alternate
processes may be followed (result 620). These may include offering
a substitute for the item, fulfillment of the item from another
retailer, distributor, or competitor, or following a Make Good
process. In some examples, Make Good offers may be provided after
failure of the substitute shipment. Such offers may involve the
generation of Make Good savings codes and offers (e.g., through the
generation of coupons, gift cards, or other compensation);
electronic contact to customers with "mass action" processes; and
updates data records with outcomes from the customer contacts, as
performed with the data updates to Make Good orders.
[0061] In further examples, a Make Good process may be implemented
in connection with automated or computer-assisted systems, business
units, or like automated or human-assisted units. For example, an
order triage and processing area may perform data operations for
facilitating a Make Good process, including: obtaining data from
orders, updating data records of orders and establishing records to
offer Make Good offers as applicable to respective customers.
Further, the order triage and processing area may resolve issues
and prepare reports for delayed orders and related customer issues,
and generate daily records for Make Good orders and order
satisfactions. An enterprise customer care area may also be used
for facilitating the Make Good process, including by performing
data operations of: distributing or assigning Make Good orders to
automated or human agents; assisting agents with contact to
individual consumers; and updating data records with outcomes from
the contacts, as performed with the data updates to Make Good
orders. As a result of the agent assistance for contact to
individual consumers, assistance may be offered to escalate to
executive (e g, manager, supervisor, or other human-aided)
resolution as needed.
[0062] FIG. 7 illustrates an example scenario of resolution contact
procedures for a delayed order delivery workflow, such as to
initiate direct contact in connection with a Make Good policy. For
example, as is shown, a customer may be electronically contacted
(operation 702) such as through a phone call, chat session,
electronic message, or the like. If the customer is successfully
contacted (decision 704), various expectations for the delayed
delivery can be established, and the Make Good alternative may be
offered (operation 708). If the customer is not successfully
contacted (decision 704), then a message may be left or sent for
the customer, or alternate arrangements or contacts may be made to
inform the consumer of the scenario and to set expectations for
delay resolution (operation 706).
[0063] As a result of the customer contact and offer of the Make
Good alternative (operation 708), various operations may occur if
the customer accepts the Make Good alternative (decision 710). If
the customer accepts, the retailer may proceed with implementing
the Make Good option (result 730), such as providing compensation
for the delay. If the customer fails to accept the Make Good
option, the system may offer various alternative options (operation
712), such as shipment return options to cancel the order. If the
customer accepts the one or more alternative options (decision
714), the retailer may proceed with the alternative option (result
730) which may include interception of the in-transit shipment. If
the customer rejects the one or more alternative options, the issue
may be escalated to a customer issue resolution area (result
720).
[0064] FIG. 8 illustrates a block diagram of a computing system 800
with electronic, hardware-based components according to a further
example. The computing system 800 may include a processor, memory,
operating system, and user input interface to interact, control, or
operate the following data stores, hardware-implemented modules,
network and associated devices, systems, and implementations.
Specifically, the computing system 800 may be implemented within
one or a plurality of computer system devices, at one or multiple
locations, and may be implemented in connection with features of
distributed, remote, or cloud-based processing functions.
[0065] The computing system 800 is configured to implement a
plurality of modules or components for processing and fulfillment
of delayed orders and shipments according to the functionality
described above. The computing system 800 is also configured to
implement and maintain a plurality of data stores for storing data
used to provide the processing and fulfillment functionality
described above. A description of the following modules and data
sources follows, but it will be understood that functionality and
operation of the various data sources and modules may be
consolidated into fewer or expanded into additional data sources or
modules.
[0066] The computing system 800 is depicted as including: an order
data store 802 for storing and maintaining information related to
respective orders by a consumer of various deliverable products; a
shipment data store 804 for storing and maintaining information
related to characteristics, tracking information, and statuses of
respective shipments used to fulfill the respective orders to the
consumer; an inventory data store 806 for storing and maintaining
information for product availability, including information for
replacement inventory to fulfill the order with a substitute
shipment; a store location data store 808 for maintaining
location-based information for store or inventory facilities,
proximate to the original shipment location, that are capable to
originate the substitute shipment; and a courier information data
store 810 for storing and maintaining information related to
courier delivery services, including information for courier
services to perform the substitute shipment and intercept the
original shipment. Additional data stores may also be used to
track, persist, maintain, and update data involved in the delivery
and order fulfillment functions described herein.
[0067] The computing system 800 is also depicted as including a
series of modules or components providing functionality for
implementing the features of a client system for interaction with a
tracking system. The modules or components depicted include: an
order tracking module 820 configured to perform operations that
identify a delayed order, the delayed order relating to a original
shipment of a particular product that remains undelivered to a
destination; a shipment interception module 830 configured to
perform operations that identify inventory at a particular in-store
location, to fulfill delivery of the particular product in a
replacement shipment to the destination; an inventory tracking
module 840 configured to perform operations to facilitate an
interception of the original shipment, such as to change a
destination of the original shipment from the destination to a
secondary destination; a customer service assistance module 850
configured to perform operations that assist management oversight
of delayed orders and the generation of Make Good offers in the
event of shipping delays and product unavailability; an order
replacement module 860 configured to perform operations that
substitute or otherwise replace the original shipment with the
replacement shipment within an order management system; a shipment
replacement module 870 configured to perform operations that
identify one or more shipment options for a substitute delivery of
the particular product in a replacement shipment; a courier
sourcing module 880 configured to perform operations that provide
data for a delivery substitution of the particular product to one
or more couriers, and designate a particular courier for delivery
of the replacement shipment; and a delivery information module 890
configured to perform operations that track the delivery of the
replacement shipment to the destination and coordinate interception
and order tracking activities based on the status of the
replacement shipment.
[0068] FIG. 9 illustrates an example method 900 performed by an
electronic processing system for processing data with
implementation of a delayed order replacement workflow. The method
900 may be implemented in hardware or software within one or more
electronic devices; and in some examples, the operations of method
900 may be split across multiple entities. For example, the method
900 may be embodied by a non-transitory machine-readable medium
including instructions, or one or more data processing,
communication, tracking, and delivery coordination components
implemented in connection with a hardware processor and a memory.
Accordingly, it will be understood that the method 900 may be
implemented with a computerized or electronic process that involves
minimal or no human interaction.
[0069] As illustrated, the method 900 for processing data in a
delayed order replacement workflow includes operations to define or
identify characteristics for delayed orders (operation 902), and to
define or identify rules for replacement of the delayed orders
(operation 904). With the definition and identification of these
characteristics and rules, various delayed orders can be identified
in order data (operation 906), such as being identified in order
data of a retailer's order management system. For example,
automated processes may perform monitoring of in-process orders and
shipments for RED and YELLOW statuses based on the characteristics
and rules associated with RED and YELLOW statuses.
[0070] In response to the identification of the delayed orders,
replacement orders can be sourced and fulfilled. The processes for
fulfilling the delayed orders may include the identification of
replacement inventory from other geographical locations (e.g., from
various stores) (operation 908), using store and distribution
inventory data. The replacement of the order will be implemented
according to processed rules and related conditions defined for the
particular status and conditions of the order (operation 910).
Based on these rules, and the location of replacement inventory, a
replacement order may be initiated (or the original order itself
may be changed) to be fulfilled with a substitute delivery from the
replacement inventory (operation 912). As previously described,
such techniques may include the use of same-day ship-from-store
techniques to fulfill delayed in-transit orders.
[0071] FIG. 10 illustrates an example method 1000 performed by an
electronic processing system for generating shipment interception
and substitution data transactions in a delayed order replacement
workflow according to a further example. The method 1000 may be
implemented in hardware or software within one or more electronic
devices (and as steps in substitute or addition to those of FIG.
9); and in some examples the operations of method 1000 may be split
across multiple entities. The method 1000 may be embodied by a
non-transitory machine-readable medium including instructions, or
one or more data processing, communication, tracking, and delivery
coordination components implemented in connection with a hardware
processor and a memory. Accordingly, it will be understood that the
method 1000 may be implemented with a computerized or electronic
process that involves minimal or no human interaction.
[0072] As illustrated, the method 1000 for generating shipment
interception and substitution data transactions includes operations
to define or identify characteristics of the one or more delayed
shipments that are associated with an order (operation 1002). The
definition of the characteristics for delayed shipments may occur
in connection with the workflow of method 900, the use of RED or
YELLOW statuses, or other applicable data-driven definitions and
techniques such as those described above.
[0073] The method 1000 further operates to obtain shipment status
for the various shipments of an order, including an updated
projected delivery time and date estimate (operation 1004). This
shipment status may occur based on data obtained from third parties
(such as national shipment carriers) or based on internally tracked
information. The projected delivery time and date estimate is
compared to an originally projected delivery estimate, or other
benchmark, to identify delayed shipments (operation 1006).
[0074] The method 1000 further operates to identify shipment
options for a substitute shipment (operation 1008). These shipment
options may be automatically selected or offered for selection to a
human such as a customer service agent or manager. Based on the
selection and choice of the shipment operations, the substitute
shipment will be initiated. This is accompanied by the creation,
update, or establishment of data for order fulfillment via a
substitute shipment (operation 1010), and the creation, update, or
establishment of data for interception of the delayed in-transit
shipments from the original order (operation 1012). Further data
operations may be performed to validate delivery of the substitute
shipment, and the redirection of the original order shipments to a
location for re-stocking.
[0075] Although the previous examples were provided with reference
to substitute shipments and new delivery attempts of such
substitute shipments, other variations may be provided to RED and
YELLOW status orders to increase the chances of delivery. For
example, changes to delivery speed (e.g., from standard ground to
2-day or next-day shipping) of existing in-transit shipments may be
implemented into these procedures, to attempt resolution without
needing a substitute shipment. In a similar fashion, customer
contact and options may be presented at an earlier point of the
identification of the delivery delay, including offering options
for compensation in exchange for the delayed delivery. It will be
apparent that other variations to delivery scheduling,
substitution, and interception may be performed in connection with
these and other workflows provided with the presently described
techniques.
[0076] Embodiments used to facilitate and perform the techniques
described herein may be implemented in one or a combination of
hardware, firmware, and software. Embodiments may also be
implemented as instructions stored on a machine-readable storage
medium (e.g., a storage device), which may be read and executed by
at least one processor to perform the operations described herein.
A machine-readable storage medium may include any non-transitory
mechanism for storing information in a form readable by a machine
(e.g., a computer). For example, a machine-readable storage device
may include read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM),
magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash-memory
devices, and other storage devices and media.
[0077] FIG. 11 illustrates a block diagram illustrating a machine
in the example form of a computer system 1100, within which a set
or sequence of instructions may be executed to cause the machine to
perform any one of the methodologies discussed herein, according to
an example. Computer system machine 1100 may be embodied by the
electronic processing system 800; the subsystem(s) implementing the
data stores 802, 804, 806, 808, 810; the subsystem(s) implementing
the various modules or components 820, 830, 840, 850, 860, 870,
880, 890; the data terminal 108; the computer system for processing
operations 202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212; the data processing
elements 410, 412, 414, 416, 420; or any other electronic
processing or computing platform described or referred to
herein.
[0078] Example computer system 1100 includes at least one processor
1102 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing
unit (GPU) or both, processor cores, compute nodes, etc.), a main
memory 1104 and a static memory 1106, which communicate with each
other via an interconnect 1108 (e.g., a link, a bus, etc.). The
computer system 1100 may further include a video display unit 1110,
an alphanumeric input device 1112 (e.g., a keyboard), and a user
interface (UI) navigation device 1114 (e.g., a mouse). In one
example, the video display unit 1110, input device 1112 and UI
navigation device 1114 are incorporated into a touchscreen
interface and touchscreen display. The computer system 1100 may
additionally include a storage device 1116 (e.g., a drive unit), a
signal generation device 1118 (e.g., a speaker), an output
controller 1132, a network interface device 1120 (which may include
or operably communicate with one or more antennas 1130,
transceivers, or other wireless communications hardware), and one
or more sensors 1126, such as a global positioning system (GPS)
sensor, compass, accelerometer, location sensor, or other
sensor.
[0079] The storage device 1116 includes a machine-readable medium
1122 on which is stored one or more sets of data structures and
instructions 1124 (e.g., software) embodying or utilized by any one
or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. The
instructions 1124 may also reside, completely or at least
partially, within the main memory 1104, static memory 1106, and/or
within the processor 1102 during execution thereof by the computer
system 1100, with the main memory 1104, static memory 1106, and the
processor 1102 also constituting machine-readable media.
[0080] While the machine-readable medium 1122 is illustrated in an
example to be a single medium, the term "machine-readable medium"
may include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized
or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that
store the one or more instructions 1124. The term "machine-readable
medium" shall also be taken to include any tangible medium that is
capable of storing, encoding or carrying instructions for execution
by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or
more of the methodologies of the present disclosure or that is
capable of storing, encoding or carrying data structures utilized
by or associated with such instructions. The term "machine-readable
medium" shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited
to, solid-state memories, and optical and magnetic media. Specific
examples of machine-readable media include non-volatile memory,
including but not limited to, by way of example, semiconductor
memory devices (e.g., electrically programmable read-only memory
(EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory
(EEPROM)) and flash memory devices; magnetic disks such as internal
hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM
and DVD-ROM disks.
[0081] The instructions 1124 may further be transmitted or received
over a communications network 1128 using a transmission medium via
the network interface device 1120 utilizing any one of a number of
well-known transfer protocols (e.g., HTTP). Examples of
communication networks include a local area network (LAN), a wide
area network (WAN), the Internet, mobile telephone networks, plain
old telephone (POTS) networks, and wireless data networks (e.g.,
Wi-Fi, 2G/3G, and 4G LTE/LTE-A or WiMAX networks). The term
"transmission medium" shall be taken to include any intangible
medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying
instructions for execution by the machine, and includes digital or
analog communications signals or other intangible medium to
facilitate communication of such software.
[0082] Additional examples of the presently described method,
system, and device embodiments include the following, non-limiting
configurations. Each of the following non-limiting examples may
stand on its own, or may be combined in any permutation or
combination with any one or more of the other examples provided
below or throughout the present disclosure.
[0083] Example 1 includes subject matter (such as a method, means
for performing acts, machine readable medium including instructions
that when performed by a machine cause the machine to performs
acts, or an apparatus to perform) comprising: electronically
identifying a delayed order, the delayed order relating to a
shipment of a particular product that is undelivered to a
destination, wherein the delayed order is delayed relative to an
original delivery estimation for delivery of the shipment of the
particular product to the destination; electronically identifying
inventory at a particular in-store location, the inventory to
fulfill delivery of the particular product in a replacement
shipment to the destination, wherein the inventory in the
particular in-store location is located from a plurality of
in-store locations based on proximity of the particular in-store
location to the destination; creating data that identifies at least
one shipment option for a substitute delivery of the particular
product in the replacement shipment, the substitute delivery of the
particular product occurring from the identified inventory at the
particular in-store location to the destination, wherein the
replacement shipment is identified to meet the original delivery
estimation for delivery of the shipment of the particular product
to the destination; and creating data that facilitates performance
of the substitute delivery of the particular product in the
replacement shipment, the substitute delivery of the replacement
shipment to the destination being performed via a selected shipment
option of the identified at least one shipment option.
[0084] In Example 2, the subject matter of Example 1 may include,
creating data that facilitates an interception of the shipment that
is undelivered, wherein the shipment that is undelivered is in
transit, and wherein the destination of the shipment that is
undelivered is changed from a first address to a second
address.
[0085] In Example 3, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 to
2 may include, wherein the first address is a designated shipping
address of a consumer, and wherein the second address is an address
of one of: a distribution center, an origin location of the
shipment, the in-store location of the replacement shipment, or an
alternate in-store location.
[0086] In Example 4, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 to
3 may include, wherein electronically identifying inventory at the
particular in-store location to fulfill delivery of the particular
product includes: locating the particular product at an in-store
location, the in-store location being one of a plurality of store
locations that has inventory for the particular product and that is
located closest to the destination.
[0087] In Example 5, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 to
4 may include, wherein electronically identifying the delayed order
includes: identifying a promised delivery date for the shipment of
the particular product to the destination, wherein the promised
delivery date is communicated to an originating consumer of the
delayed order; and identifying that the shipment of the particular
product is unable to be delivered to the destination by the
promised delivery date via one or more available shipping options
from a carrier of the shipment.
[0088] In Example 6, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 to
5 may include, wherein the promised delivery date for the shipment
of the particular product to the destination is prior to a
designated holiday, and wherein the replacement shipment is
identified to meet the original delivery estimation by an estimated
arrival prior to the designated holiday.
[0089] In Example 7, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 to
6 may include, wherein creating data that identifies the at least
one shipment option for the substitute delivery of the particular
product in the replacement shipment includes providing data to a
plurality of couriers.
[0090] In Example 8, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 to
7 may include, wherein creating data that identifies the at least
one shipment option for the substitute delivery of the particular
product in the replacement shipment includes: receiving an
indication from a particular courier of the plurality of couriers
to accept delivery of the replacement shipment to the destination;
and designating the particular courier for delivery of the
replacement shipment to the destination, in response to receiving
the indication from the particular courier to accept delivery of
the replacement shipment to the destination.
[0091] In Example 9, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 to
8 may include, electronically tracking the delivery of the
replacement shipment to the destination via the selected shipment
option; electronically notifying an order management system of a
successful delivery of the replacement shipment to the destination;
and electronically processing data from the shipment of the
particular product that is undelivered to a destination to
determine an alternate destination for the shipment.
[0092] Example 10 includes subject matter of a computer-readable
medium (operating on a computing device, apparatus, machine, or the
like) comprising instructions that cause the computing device to:
identify a delayed order, the delayed order being associated with
an shipment of a particular product that is undelivered to a
destination, wherein the delayed order is delayed relative to an
original delivery estimation for delivery of the shipment of the
particular product to the destination; identify inventory at a
particular in-store location, the inventory to fulfill delivery of
the particular product in a replacement shipment to the
destination, wherein the inventory in the particular in-store
location is located from a plurality of in-store locations based on
proximity of the particular in-store location to the destination;
identify at least one shipment option for a substitute delivery of
the particular product in the replacement shipment, the substitute
delivery of the particular product to occur from the identified
inventory at the particular in-store location to the destination,
wherein the replacement shipment is identified to meet the original
delivery estimation for delivery of the shipment of the particular
product to the destination; and initiate the substitute delivery of
the particular product in the replacement shipment, the substitute
delivery of the replacement shipment to the destination being
performed via a selected shipment option of the identified at least
one shipment option.
[0093] In Example 11, the subject matter of Example 10 may include,
the instructions further causing the computing device to:
facilitate an interception of the shipment that is undelivered,
wherein the shipment that is undelivered is in transit, and wherein
the destination of the shipment that is undelivered is changed from
a first address to a second address.
[0094] In Example 12, the subject matter of any one of Examples 10
to 11 may include, wherein the first address is a designated
shipping address of a consumer, and wherein the second address is
an address of one of: a distribution center, an origin location of
the shipment, the in-store location of the replacement shipment, or
an alternate in-store location.
[0095] In Example 13, the subject matter of any one of Examples 10
to 12 may include, the instructions further causing the computing
device to: identify inventory at the particular in-store location
to fulfill the particular product by an identification of the
particular product at an in-store location, the in-store location
being one of a plurality of store locations that has inventory for
the particular product and that is located closest to the
destination.
[0096] In Example 14, the subject matter of any one of Examples 10
to 13 may include, the instructions further causing the computing
device to: identify a promised delivery date for the shipment of
the particular product to the destination, wherein the promised
delivery date is communicated to an originating consumer of the
delayed order; and identify that the shipment of the particular
product is unable to be delivered to the destination by the
promised delivery date via one or more available shipping options
from a carrier of the shipment; wherein the promised delivery date
for the shipment of the particular product to the destination is
prior to a designated holiday, and wherein the replacement shipment
is identified to meet the original delivery estimation by an
estimated arrival prior to the designated holiday.
[0097] In Example 15, the subject matter of any one of Examples 10
to 14 may include, the instructions further causing the computing
device to: provide data to a plurality of couriers; receive an
indication from a particular courier of the plurality of couriers
to accept delivery of the replacement shipment to the destination;
and designate the particular courier for delivery of the
replacement shipment to the destination, in response to receipt of
the indication from the particular courier to accept delivery of
the replacement shipment to the destination.
[0098] In Example 16, the subject matter of any one of Examples 10
to 15 may include, the instructions further causing the computing
device to: track the delivery of the replacement shipment to the
destination via the selected shipment option; notify an order
management system of a successful delivery of the replacement
shipment to the destination; and process the shipment of the
particular product to determine an alternate destination for the
shipment.
[0099] Example 17 includes subject matter (such as a device,
apparatus, or machine) of an electronic system comprising: an order
tracking module, the order tracking module configured to identify a
delayed order, the delayed order relating to a shipment of a
particular product that is undelivered to a destination, wherein
the delayed order is delayed relative to an original delivery
estimation for delivery of the shipment of the particular product
to the destination; an inventory tracking module, the inventory
tracking module configured to identify inventory at a particular
in-store location, the inventory to fulfill delivery of the
particular product in a replacement shipment to the destination,
wherein the inventory in the particular in-store location is
located from a plurality of in-store locations based on proximity
of the particular in-store location to the destination; a shipment
replacement module, the shipment replacement module configured to
identify at least one shipment option for a substitute delivery of
the particular product in the replacement shipment, the substitute
delivery of the particular product occurring from the identified
inventory at the particular in-store location to the destination,
wherein the replacement shipment is identified to meet the original
delivery estimation for delivery of the shipment of the particular
product to the destination; and a delivery information module, the
delivery information module configured to facilitate performance of
the substitute delivery of the particular product in the
replacement shipment, the substitute delivery of the replacement
shipment to the destination being performed via a selected shipment
option of the identified at least one shipment option.
[0100] In Example 18, the subject matter of Example 17 may include,
the plurality of modules a shipment interception module, the
shipment interception module configured to facilitate an
interception of the shipment that is undelivered, wherein a
destination of the shipment is changed from a first address to a
second address; wherein the first address is a designated shipping
address of a consumer, and wherein the second address is an address
of one of: a distribution center, an origin location of the
shipment, the in-store location of the replacement shipment, or an
alternate in-store location.
[0101] In Example 19, the subject matter of any one of Examples 17
to 18 may include, the plurality of modules an order replacement
module, the order replacement module configured to: track the
delivery of the replacement shipment to the destination; and
replace the shipment with the replacement shipment within an order
management system, in response to initiation of the delivery of the
replacement shipment to the destination.
[0102] In Example 20, the subject matter of any one of Examples 17
to 19 may include, the plurality of modules a courier sourcing
module, the courier sourcing module configured to: provide data
that identifies the at least one shipment option for the substitute
delivery of the particular product to a plurality of couriers;
receive an indication from a particular courier of the plurality of
couriers to accept delivery of the replacement shipment to the
destination; and designate the particular courier for delivery of
the replacement shipment to the destination, in response to
receiving the indication from the particular courier to accept
delivery of the replacement shipment to the destination.
[0103] Additional examples of the presently described method,
system, and device embodiments include the following configurations
recited by the claims. Each of the examples in the claims may stand
on its own, or may be combined in any permutation or combination
with any one or more of the other examples provided below or
throughout the present disclosure.
* * * * *